Top 10 Things to do in Alaska, United States

August 13, 2021 Viva Honore

Alaska is divided into five regions: far north, interior, southwest, south central, and inside passage. Although it takes a long time to see the entire state, you can travel through the regions by boat, car, bus, or plane. Hike through the mountains, or venture out on a deep sea fishing or whale watching excursion. Get in touch with nature by camping in the wilderness, or experience your preferred degree of class and luxury in the beautiful, active cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks. 
Restaurants in Alaska

1. Hubbard Glacier

Yakutat Bay, AK http://www.alaska.org/detail/hubbard-glacier
Excellent
93%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 661 reviews

Hubbard Glacier

First mapped in 1895, Hubbard is considered the largest tidewater glacier in North America.

Reviewed By Zeituni - Jerusalem, Israel

Visiting this glacier is most impressive. When the ship slowly turns to let everybody on board see the glacier, you hear thunder-like sounds of falling to the ocean icebergs

2. Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

212 Wedgewood Dr Wedgewood Resort, Fairbanks, AK 99701-1728 +1 907-450-2100 [email protected] http://www.fountainheadmuseum.com/
Excellent
93%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,327 reviews

Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

WE ARE OPEN for visitors and are adhering to all CDC and state-guided mandates. As a precaution: • practice proper physical-distancing • use of face-coverings is required to visit the museum. *** About the Fountainhead Auto Museum: This unexpected gem at Wedgewood Resort features a remarkable collection of antique cars and historic fashions, plus entertaining displays on Alaska motoring history. The museum's automobile collection features over 100 American-made vehicles, including beautifully restored horseless carriages, nickel touring cars, rakish speedster, elegant classics, and early racecars. From rare marquees like Compound and Argonne to well-known names like Packard and Stutz, visitors will be amazed at the beauty, innovation, and history of these rolling masterpieces. All but a few of the automobiles are driven each summer, making this a true "living museum.

Reviewed By Ajmunoz

My husband and I visited and while we first thought it was a fairly small place we were very much surprised! We loved looking at the beautiful cars and as a bonus the fashion display was just as beautiful! We spent nearly three hours in the museum and the curator was there to answer any questions or further the knowledge on any of the cars! Would definitely recommend:)

3. Tracy Arm Fjord

Tongass National Forest, Juneau, AK
Excellent
88%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,879 reviews

Tracy Arm Fjord

Reviewed By clippers2018 - Maidenhead, United Kingdom

I spent the whole of June ‘19 travelling across Canada for 3 weeks followed by an 8 day Alaskan inside passage Cruise. I witnessed and experienced some amazing things including a flight over Niagara Falls and Dog Sledding on a Rockies Glacier. However, clear top (and that’s saying something !) amongst the numerous highlights was the Tracy Arm Fjord Cruise. The Cruise lasted 6.5 hours. It started with a switch from cruise ship to a smaller vessel (100 people ?) at 9am with a return to Juneau at 3:30pm. It was spectacular throughout. We cleared early fog to find ourselves on mill pond like water surrounded by magnificent snow capped mountains, valleys and tree lined rock faces, numerous waterfalls, mind boggling ice floes and jaw dropping glaciers. And then there was the wildlife ! As we travelled through the area every turn delivered yet another incredible view. So good was the spectacle any food time outs were very brief affairs ! There were early sightings of bald eagles, basking seals, brown bears at the waters edge and whales ! As we headed towards Juneau we came across a humpback whale crashing it’s fins on the water before submerging and a few seconds later performing a full breach right in front of us. Quite the spectacular finish to the cruise ! Researching this excursion pre cruise it looked fantastic, but exceeded those expectations considerably. I was advised to pre book and was so glad I did as it had sold out when I boarded. If you are doing one excursion make this the one if you possibly can. Truly magnificent.

4. Running Reindeer Ranch

1470 Ivans Aly, Fairbanks, AK 99709-6161 +1 907-455-4998 [email protected] http://www.runningreindeer.com
Excellent
91%
Good
7%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,244 reviews

Running Reindeer Ranch

By reservation, Running Reindeer Ranch offers guided walking natural history tours of the boreal forest with our reindeer friends. Get to know our reindeer in this 2.5 hour unique, immersive, educational tour. Enjoy a walk through the magical birch forest, observing reindeer games and learning the adaptations that make reindeer ideal for Arctic living. While visiting our family-owned farm, there is plenty of time for pictures and reindeer hugs. After the reindeer walk, we’ll head inside to learn a bit more about reindeer while enjoying homemade cookies and drinks. We operate in any weather, all year, so appropriate clothing is a must. Reservation Required, book a walk on our website! With Covid19 protocols we are very serious about health. We provide touch less options, sanitize before and after each visit, stay outside the entire tour and all persons must wear a mask while visiting our ranch.

Reviewed By davym608 - Aliso Viejo, United States

Truly enjoyed our time...family of reindeer loved by Jane, Doug, and Alex. Hard to decide best part: Walking with the fall leaves, petting the reindeer, learning all 11 of their names, or the yummy cookies at the end. A must see when in Fairbanks!

5. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

8150 Mendenhall Loop Rd Tongass National Forest, Juneau, AK 99801 907 789-0097 https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=stelprdb5400800
Excellent
74%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 7,002 reviews

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

Mendenhall Glacier is easily accessible via roads from the local airport, cruise ship terminal and state ferry terminal. Our facility and lands are managed by the federal government through the United States Forest Service. Federal passes are accepted and sold as well as daily passes. There is a visitor center with a theater showing a 15-minute film on Mendenhall Glacier, a bookstore operated by nonprofit organization Discovery Southeast, and exhibits on wildlife, history, and glacial and geological changes. Rangers provide talks at various indoor and outdoor sites in summer. Open hours in summer are daily 8am to 7:30pm. Due to wildlife and bears, no food is allowed outdoors from April-November. There is no beverage or food service available to prevent bears from becoming food-conditioned. Nearby Steep Creek is the spawning stream for wild sockeye salmon from late July through early September. Later in the fall, a run of coho salmon spawn in the creek. Porcupines can be seen foraging on leaves in deciduous trees. Beavers are visible early in the morning and in the evening. Learn about Alaska and the natural world around the glacier and lake. Enjoy a one-hour hike to 400-foot-tall Nugget Falls. Other trails lead to different habitats. In winter, the visitor center is open Friday-Sunday from 10am to 4pm and closed on federal holidays.

Reviewed By ArmaanSaigon - Sydney, Australia

While in Juneau, Alaska we visited the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre. This was the first time for me to see such a spectacular view up-close of a landlocked glacier. There are numerous walking tracks all in varying levels of difficulty and viewing areas. There is plenty of wildlife. The approximately 20km long river of ice definitely takes your breath away. After having spent four days working in the Tongass National Forest I especially enjoyed the short film back at the centre which explored the interplay in the whole natural ecosystem of the area and how the glaciers in the region are impacted. Needless to say, I now have a far greater appreciation and love for these incredible ice leviathans. Well worth seeing at least once in your life.

6. Alaska Railroad

Excellent
79%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,488 reviews

Alaska Railroad

Completed in 1923, the iconic Alaska Railroad connects many of Alaska's most popular destinations: Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Girdwood, Seward, Whittier and the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop. Daily summer departures and our knowledgeable Alaskan reservationists make it easy to plan everything from day trips to multi-day Alaska vacations including excursions and accommodations -- all using the Alaska Railroad to traverse this great land. Choose from two classes of passenger service: comfortable Adventure Class seating offering large picture windows, or premium GoldStar Service featuring glass-dome ceilings, all-inclusive dining and an outdoor, upper-level viewing platform. Come see why our authentic Alaskan hospitality and incredible scenery draws thousands of passengers yearly!

7. University of Alaska Museum of the North

1962 Yukon DR, Fairbanks, AK 99775-9702 +1 907-474-7505 [email protected] http://www.uaf.edu/museum
Excellent
66%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,449 reviews

University of Alaska Museum of the North

The University of Alaska Museum of the North is a thriving visitor attraction, a vital component of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the only research and teaching museum in Alaska. The museum’s research collections – 2.5 million artifacts and specimens – represent millions of years of biological diversity and thousands of years of cultural traditions in the North. UAMN is Open Wednesday - Sunday, 10 AM - 7 PM, Starting July 8th. Admission Sales Close at 6 PM. Hours are Subject to Change.

Reviewed By jnaggie - Huntington Beach, United States

Housed in a stunningly modern building, you will find everything from history and artifacts of the early explorers and settlers and well as the natives Alaskans. Learn about prehistoric Alaska to the modern innovations building the Alaskan Pipeline.

8. Denali National Park

AK +1 800-276-7234 http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
Excellent
77%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 682 reviews

Denali National Park

This park, located 50 miles south of Denali National Park, offers hiking opportunities.

Reviewed By JanetonLookout - Lookout Mountain, United States

We took a park transit bus for the day and hiked around Horseshoe Lake afterwards. In July, bus capacity was limited to 50%. The driver and passengers were all pretty consistent in wearing masks. It was a joy to be there with little traffic and few people on the bus. Our driver was delightful and stopped for animal viewing when necessary. There were also plenty of bathroom breaks. We were on the 7am bus and returned to the visitor's center around 3:30pm. The weather was nice, and we saw lots of wildlife. I hope to return here at some point in the future

9. Misty Fjords National Monument

Ketchikan, AK +1 907-747-8100 http://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Parks%20and%20Public%20Lands/Misty%20Fiords%20National%20Monument.aspx
Excellent
80%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 860 reviews

Misty Fjords National Monument

This huge wilderness area includes hundreds of rivers and streams fed by melting glaciers each spring.

Reviewed By RupaAnand - New Delhi, India

I had booked this trip prior my departure from New Delhi for our Alaskan Cruise on board The Nieuw Amsterdam. May 9th we docked at Ketchikan. The operator met me at the jetty as instructed and I was transported to Taquan Air office. “Let me fly high into the clouds to be with the bird touching the skies and washing my spirit clean.” Storytelling from Alaska - An awesome experience flying nearly 5000 feet above sea level- The magnificent Misty Fjords National Monument taken from board an Alaska seaplane, a de Havilland Beaver. Misty Fjords National Monument is home to some of the most dramatic scenery in Alaska. What an incredible sunny day here! We were only four passengers with the pilot as the fifth. A highlight of this tour was an exhilarating water landing, where we stepped out onto a wooden jetty to enjoy the fresh fjord air, eagle calls, and breathtaking scenery. Only by air can one fully appreciate the dramatic beauty of land slowly crafted by nature over tens of thousands of years. Massive glacier action created this ice-rimmed wilderness. We saw majestic fjords, cascading waterfalls, jewel-like lakes, and a whale ambling in lush blue waters.... I marvelled at sheer walls of granite plunging more than 3,000 feet into the fjords. Lush forests of spruce, hemlock and cedar clinging to snowcapped peaks in this land of incredible natural beauty and rugged grandeur. Look after Nature and Nature looks after you. All pictures are from the Floatplane window (????)

10. Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary

116 Wood Rd, Ketchikan, AK 99901-9765
Excellent
68%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
3%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 889 reviews

Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary

Reviewed By sharond924 - Adelaide, Australia

The most wonderful trip Small van pick up and drop off The guide Ben was fantastic, very knowledgeable, friendly and charming There is a boardwalk that runs the entire walk over a river and near a salmon Hatchery and the rainforest We saw 3 black bears in the river eating salmon, and just meandering, lying in the sun and playing in the water catching fish The boardwalk is high enough of the ground for safety, but close enough to view The bears without disturbing them Absolutely stunning to see them in their natural habitat The rainforest walk is beautiful Ben was very knowledgeable on the different plants, trees, etc., We also viewed totem carving, Small avairy area that has several injured birds that are being rehabilitated As well as a blacksmith and gift shop Great value, very informative and interesting Bears and scenery are worth the trip

ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.